POST OFFICE NOTICE.

Southland Times, Issue 704, 2 August 1867, Page 2

POST OFFICE NOTICE.

MAILS OLOSB FOB — Campbelltown, daily, at 1.45 p.m. Biverton and Orepuki, this day, 2nd inat., at 10.15 a.m. Dunedin, Mataura, and Long Bush, on Monday, sth inst., at 7 p.m. Per 8.8. Tararua, on Saturday, 3rd August, as under : — The Northern Provinces of New Zealand, at 12.15 p.m. America, West India, Madeira, Canary Islands, and Cape de Verde Islands, at 11.30 ajn. Continent of Europe, via London, at 11.30 a.m. Great Britain, via Panama, at 12.15 p.m. Newspapers, at 11.30 a.m. Begistered Letters and Money Orders, at 10.30 am. . letters bearing a late fee in postage stamps will ■ be received by the Mail Agent at the Kail•vray Station up till the starting of the train for Bluff at l,3(*p.m. BDW. D. BUTTS, Chief Postmaster. Soutblaatf, August 2ad, 1867,

With reference to the reported discovery o diamonds at the Cape of Good Hope, the " Cape Argus" of the 18th of April says : — For some time past rumors have been in circulation to the effect that precious stones exist in the neighborhood of the Orange Eiver. Those rumors have, to a certain extent, been set at rest by the fact that the Government has received from the vicinity of Hope Town a stone which is declared by two competent men, a diamond-cutter and a diamond-polisher, resident in Cape Town, to be a Veritable diamond. It weighs between twentyone and twenty-two carats, and is estimated in its rough state as worth £500. When it is cut and polished it will be worth £800. The specimen has also been examined by Dr Atherstone, of Graham's. Town, and Mr Schmieterloew, of Cape Town, who report favorably upon it. The stone is said to have been given by a farmer, who possessed more of the same kind, to a trader. It is satisfactory to know that the G-overnment are about to apply the very best test which could be found, by Bending the mineral into the London market, and should the result be as favorable as is confidently predicted, it is impossible to tell ■what it may lead to. We were favored yesterday frith an inspection of the stone ; but our acquaintance with diamonds, especially in a rough state, being extremely limited, we should hesitate to express any very decided opinion about it, and shall be content to await the arrival of the report of competent men. The Nelson Government are making arrangements for removing their head-quarters on the West Coast to Westport. A large gaol is in course of erection there, and Mr M'G-uire, the gaol superintendent at Gobden, is about to pro* oee4 tbithef immediately,